An Immortal and his Watcher
by asil
Summary: Amy has to make a difficult decision after Methos/Adam is in a nasty car crash. While dead, Methos dreams. I dunno, it was itching to be written so I'm posting it.


Title: the Beginning of a Quest: an Immortal and his Watcher

Author: Raitear / Asil

Summary: Erm, Methos' car crashes and Amy has to make a difficult decision as she watches his body come to life again and again, unable to heal because of the bits and pieces that stick out of his bloodied chest. I've also posted it on the highlander fanfiction livejournal page under the name Raitear.

King Joe clutched at his crown and awkwardly hobbled aside as Caspian's horse leaped over the row of faceless pawns to block his escape from the black castle looming in the corner. The makeshift knight whooped and swung his bloodied sabre above his head, sending red droplets spattering upon the white and black tile's that surrounded him.

Kronos watched all this with glee and cackled as he turned to his opponent, "Check! It's your turn brother."

Methos looked up from where he'd been prodding at the oddly bloodless wound in his chest and frowned at the board. For a moment he sat in contemplation then making his decision he reached for the white queen only to have her transform into a wolf that growled and snapped at his fingers. He scowled, "bitch," and reached for the bishop instead. Giovanni hymned at him in Latin before placing a galea atop his head, pulling a gladius out from somewhere within his red cardinal robes, and charging diagonally across the board. His blade pierced the flank of Caspian's horse and sent the animal screaming; Caspian snarled a curse as it carried him off the board at a full gallop only to disappear as they raced off the tabletop.

"Nice move." Kronos said and his fingers danced across the edge of the board as he peered at the remaining pieces.

"Thanks brother." Methos' eyes were drawn back to the gaping hole in his chest; he resumed poking at it as he waited for the other immortal to take his turn.

"Check again."

Methos looked up as the black queen cleaved Giovanni's head from his shoulders and with one fist waving triumphantly in the air laid claim to the square he'd been standing on. Evil Duncan then turned towards King Joe, his dark hair in tresses and his legs bare beneath his kilt. Methos tilted his head, "is he a bit confused?"

"Easily fixed," Kronos waved a hand and mimed snipping with two fingers, "they do it all the time in less civilized countries. Besides we had to make her distinguishable from yours," he nodded towards the side of the board where Good Duncan was still grieving over his dead horse.

Methos grunted and reached for the white queen again, grabbing her by the scruff of the neck. He placed her in his palm and gazed at her, "now, let's see some cooper…" The wolf shifted into a sword wielding Cassandra, shouted, "There can be only one," and hacked off the tip of his forefinger. He shook his hand, sending the witch flying.

Amy appeared in the sky then, red tears dripping from her eyes, "Ham Story!" she declared and raised a hand, twin bolts of lightning arched from her palm to strike him in the chest.

* * *

><p>The sound of the gunshots rang in her ears and her hands stung from the kickback, but she barely noticed as Benjamin's eyes sought hers for just an instant.<p>

"I like bacon better." He mumbled, and then choked as his lungs filled up with blood. He died with a gurgling sort of sound, body twitching just a bit before it lay still.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered again and with a sob reached trembling hands for the knife and resumed cutting away at the quickly healing skin, blood slicked fingers digging in and prying out all the metal and glass shards she could find. Behind her the wreckage of his land rover still burned, its broken and twisted husk littering the otherwise deserted street. Her car was parked a ways away, as if it alone held onto the belief that she could remain distant while he suffered so horribly.

His quickening prickled her skin as life returned to him, but like last time he didn't start moving right away. His eyes remained blankly forward and he only twitched a little as the blade carved through his flesh.

* * *

><p>Darius stood before him, his body haloed by the light that arced behind him, "We've not much time." He knelt beside where Methos crouched and placed a hand on the ancient immortal's shoulder, "Láisareis you must listen to me."<p>

"Busy dying here Darius," Methos choked out, batting feebly at the rodents that gnawed through his flesh.

The priest nodded, "Nevertheless, we must speak now before we lose our chance. You must find it."

"It?" Methos spat a mouthful of blood, it seeped into the ground quickly and a dark red vine began surging up from the dirt. He watched in fascination as the vine leaned towards him like a hand grasping for his arms.

"The Source of immortality."

The eldest laughed as he remembered the bizarre dreams that Duncan had shared with him one night on the deck of the barge while his fiancé Anna slept below. The sound ended as a groan and he fell forward only to be stopped as Darius tightened his grip on his shoulder. "Just because you've never conceived of it, does that disprove its existence?"

Methos looked up and saw the seriousness that clouded the eyes of his old friend, deciding to play along until he finished dying he asked, "Where will I find it."

* * *

><p>He remained still for long time once she'd removed the last shard from his flesh, staring towards the darkening sky with eyes that were dulled and empty. Amy wiped at her shaking hands together as she remained kneeling beside him, the blood smeared up her arms and stained her skin. Soft gasping sobs escaped her as, unaware of her movements she began rocking back and forth. Finally Benjamin blinked and drew a deep breath, eyes darting around for a moment before settling on her.<p>

"Amy?"

"I had to get the pieces." She sobbed and rocked faster."But it kept healing over!"

His chest was reddened by blood, the tatters of his shirt and jeans hardened by the drying, clotting liquid. That was all she could focus on as he sat up and took her into his stained arms. She didn't register the touch, just his voice as he said urgently, "Amy, you need to calm down. You're going into shock."

She shook her head, "there's so much blood." And there was, shiny red puddles everywhere around them.

Benjamin manhandled her up, partially dragging but mostly carrying her towards her car. She moaned and tried to say something about blood on the seats as he opened the back and lay her down, but then he dragged her heavy wool blanket over her (the one she wrapped herself in while sitting outside his apartment and watching) and she was too busy shivering beneath it to bother trying again.


End file.
